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Ice Cream: A Food for All Seasons?

by Esther Sung

on 10/20/08 at 09:21 PM

A couple of weekends ago, I was in Seattle. Thanks to all the wonderful Epi-log readers who left comments! Because of you, I ate a hearty bowl of cioppino at Etta's and tasted tongue for the first time at Quinn's. I also had the smoothest café latte at Vivace's, although Stumptown's was stronger. Upon my return, I recounted the foods and drinks I enjoyed in the Emerald City and was surprised that the one food that got the biggest reaction from friends was neither the tongue nor the coffee, but rather, the ice cream I had at Molly Moon's. It was as if I had declared that I was going to pull out my shorts, sandals, and tank tops in the middle of a snowstorm. (By the way, if you ever go to the ice cream shop, I highly recommend getting the Balsamic Strawberry flavor which was just hard enough, plenty creamy, and struck the perfect balance between sweetness and piquancy. My taste buds were very happy.)

Ice cream is not just for summer days when it's so hot outside that you're sweating even when you're doing nothing. In my opinion, ice cream can—and should—be enjoyed year round, even when there's frost on the ground and you've got a fire going in the fireplace. That second Friday of October was sunny but it wasn't particularly warm. However, that did not stop the steady stream of children and adults from flowing into Molly Moon's for something tasty. All of us had a hankering for ice cream and we weren't going to let a season or time of year dictate when it was appropriate or not to eat ice cream.

But based on friends' feedback, there are those who feel very differently about the issue. So tell me: Who's in agreement with me on the ice cream issue? Are there are other foods or drinks that you think have specific seasons for consumption? Where does grilling fit in?

I'll be the dissenter -- ice cream is just not appealing to me when their is snow on the ground! Not when I could have a warm cookie and hot chocolate instead. Of course, I'm a pretty fair-weather fan of ice cream PERIOD (although Jeni's is usually enough to change my mind). It's all personal taste!

chocomaid 05:26:03 PM on 10/23/08

Aren't you supposed to eat ice cream anytime? Growing up, I remember eating a hugh banana split for dinner. Now, as grandparents, we might eat it whenever we want. Like a hot fudge brownie banana split for breakfast.. There are beans (vanilla, cocoa), fruit (bananas, strawberries), dairy (milk,cream) and chocolate is very good for you.

mnatalie 03:41:23 PM on 10/22/08

Ice cream or icy drinks at the wrong time of year (like now) can lead me to sore throats and nasty colds (like now)

mairzi - you don't make your own?

Chocolatl 12:27:55 AM on 10/22/08

Sandy-- Grilling and eating outside are completely different animals. We grill a lot, but we don't eat outside, ever. You don't have to eat the food outdoors to cook it outdoors. We'd rather not; when I'm eating, I don't want insects eating me. Grilling adds a lot to food. Grill it and bring it inside; you'll appreciate it.

Pea-soup and potroast are cold-weather foods. Any oven-roasted meat is cold-weather food because my kitchen overheats when I run the oven (window a/c in the living room; sub-optimum airflow to rest of house). We don't grill because my husband really doesn't like to eat outside unless we're camping. Ice cream? Any time of the year. Same for fruit smoothies.

mairzi 08:50:29 AM on 10/21/08

Of course, ice cream is a year round treat. As is grilling (just shovel a path to the grill). The only reason, my family's ice cream consumption slows down in the winter is because our favorite local hand made ice cream joint closes in November. Right before it closes, they mark down all the ice cream to 50%, I clean out the freezer to make room and we stock up on all our favorite flavors for the long cold months ahead. Sweet Cream to put on pies at Thanksgiving, Peppermintstick for Christmas desserts, strawberry for one of the kid's ice cream birthday cake and all of our other favorite. Sometime in January when the ice cream is all finally gone, we have to survive on store bought until March when the creamery opens again. It is a long few months but with the help of Ben and Jerry's we make it through.

minicooker 07:43:33 AM on 10/21/08

Because I do my grocery shopping on bicycle, it's easier to purchase ice cream in the fall and winter because it won't melt on the way home.

Chocolatl 12:53:19 AM on 10/21/08

You mean there are people who think it's unusual to eat ice cream all year? That's certainly news to me.

serena72 11:33:14 PM on 10/20/08

I'll eat ice cream any day of the year. In fact, we eat more of it in fall and winter because I bake so much more. Warm pie demands ice cream.

Grilling is a year-round event. We've grilled in the middle of snowstorms.

cookshelly 11:24:13 PM on 10/20/08

I grew up eating tongue...my mother made tongue salad (much like ham salad) and my mother-in-law and I made sanwiches with tongue, mayo, and horseradish...I can't buy it now, except through a friend who has a friend who sends meat to the packer1 Please tell me how the tongue was served at Quinn's.

cd1 10:25:48 PM on 10/20/08

Could there be a season in which one does not grill or eat ice cream? That question requires thought . . . OK, I thought about it: No.